Quantum Physics II (8.

05) Fall 2004 Assignment 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Physics Department September 9, 2004

Due September 16, 2004

This week is dedicated primarily to a quick review of wave mechanics (8.04), from which we will abstract the general principles of quantum mechanics.

Reading Assignment for the rst two weeks of the course

Review of wave mechanics: Griths Ch. 1 and 2. Some of the mathematical tools in Ch. 2 are important in 8.05, especially: the Kronecker ij , the Dirac -function, (x y), and the Fourier transform. For an introduction to linear algebra see: Griths Appendix and more extensively Shankar Ch. 1 . We will use the following concepts extensively in 8.05: vector spaces, norms, inner products, bases, orthonormality and completeness, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and eigenfunctions, and somewhat later, lin ear transformations. To read about the Stern-Gerlach experiment, see the handout from Sakurai Ch. 1

Physics 8.05, Quantum Physics II, Fall 2004

Problem Set 1
These problems are intended to help you review and generalize major results from last semester. They cover only the material from the rst weeks lectures. 1. Average momentum [8 points] (a) A particles coordinate space wavefunction is square-integrable and real up to an arbitrary multiplicative phase: (x) = ei (x) with real and constant and (x) real. Prove that its average momentum is zero. (b) Now suppose that (x) (ie. varies with position), but is still real. What is the average value of the momentum? 2. Properties of a wavefunction [12 points] A particle of mass m moves on the line x [, ], and has the following wave function at some time: (x) = N cos(bx) for |x| < 2b = 0 for |x| > (1) 2b (a) Normalize (x). That is, nd the value of N . (b) What is x? What is x2 ? Is (x) a position eigenstate? (c) What is p? What is p2 ? Is (x) a momentum eigenstate?

(d) If the momentum of is measured, what is the probability distribution, P(p), of the results? Sketch P(p). (e) Suppose (x) describes a free particle, so V (x) = 0. Is (x) an energy eigenstate?

3. Properties of a another wavefunction (14 points) A particle of mass m moving under the inuence of a one-dimensional potential V (x) has the wave function: (x) = N x exp(x2 ) (a) Normalize (x). Assume that > 0. (b) Is (x) a position eigenstate? Is (x) a momentum eigenstate? Explain your reasoning. (2)

Physics 8.05, Quantum Physics II, Fall 2004 (c) Suppose that I tell you that V (x) = 0. What is H?

(d) Now, suppose that I do not tell you anything about V (x), but tell you instead that (x) is an energy eigenstate. Find the potential V (x) and the energy eigenvalue E. If I add a constant to whatever potential you nd, my potential will also be acceptable. To remove this ambiguity, let us agree that V (0) = 0. h2 [Hint: If (x) is an energy eigenstate, it must obey 2m (x) + V (x)(x) = E(x) for some V (x) and some E.] (e) Using general properties of wave mechanics in one dimension, explain why (x) is or is not the ground state wave function for a particle in the potential V (x) from (d). (ie. explain why E is or is not the lowest possible energy eigenvalue.) Now, instead of (2) consider a new wave function, (x) = Nxex (3)

where > 0, and the particle moves on the half-line x [0, ], with an impenetrable wall (V (x) = ) for x 0, and a potential V (x) for x > 0. (f) Repeat part (d) for the wavefunction in (3). That is, assume it is an energy eigenstate and nd the potential V (x) and the energy eigenvalue E. [This time, it is more convenient if we all agree that V () = 0.] (g) Repeat part (e) for this wave function on the half-line. 4. Conserved probability current [10 points]
Suppose (x, t) obeys the one-dimensional Schr
odinger equation, h2 2 (x, t) + V (x)(x, t) = i (x, t). h 2 t 2m x (a) Derive the conservation law for probability, J + = 0, t x where (x, t) = is the probability density and J(x, t) = probability ux. (b) What are the units of and J? (c) Explain why (5) is a conservation law for probability. Use it to show that a wavefunction (x, t) that is normalized at time t remains normalized at later times. (d) Compute the probability ux for (x) from problem 1(b). Consider the ratio J(x)/(x) and explain why h (x)/m is used as a measure of the local velocity of the quantum particle described by (x) = ei(x) (x).
h m

(4)

(5) Im is the x

Physics 8.05, Quantum Physics II, Fall 2004 5. An unstable particle1 [8 points]

Suppose you want to describe an unstable particle that spontaneously disintegrates with a lifetime . In that case, the total probability for nding the particle should not be constant, but should decrease at an exponential rate, P (t) =

dx |(x, t)|2 = et/ .

(6)

Show that this can be incorporated in the Schrdinger equation if we add a negative o imaginary constant to the potential, V (x) V (x) with > 0. (a) Derive the generalization of (5). (b) Show that P (t) behaves as given by (6) and relate the lifetime to . 6. Sequential Measurements (8 points) An operator A, corresponding to an observable A, has two orthonormal eigenstates 1 and 2 , with eigenvalues a1 and a2 . An operator B, corresponding to an observable B, has two orthonormal eigenstates 1 and 2 , with eigenvalues b1 and b2 . The eigenstates are related by 1 1 = (1 + 22 ) 5 1 2 = (21 2 ) . 5 (8) i . 2 (7)

(a) B is measured, and the value b1 is obtained. What is the state of the system after this measurement? (b) If A is then measured, and then B is measured again, what is the probability that the value b1 is obtained the second time B is measured?

Adapted from Griths, 1.15